Lights, Camera, Orc-tion!

33: Eight Months

"Miss Virlee, who are you wearing tonight?"

"Mr. Vidaroc, give your girlfriend a kiss for us. Show us how happy you are!"

"Is that an authentic Boutinlou suit?"

"What's next for you, Mr. Vidaroc?"

"Are the rumors true you're slated to direct a new Starvel film?"

The reporters were only blurs between flashes of bright light as Kahdreg made his way down the red carpet. Their incessant questions were a cacophonous scraping in his ear. The flash of their cameras made his eyes burn. Even his vague, sometimes cold, replies didn't deter the vultures on the other side of the velvet ropes.

Beside Kahdreg, Kallinaera primped and simpered beneath the attention and flashing cameras whenever they paused. Dressed in an elegant purple gown - that fit her form snugly, until it flared out in a mermaid-style with ruffles galore - and dripping in gems, the siren was hard to miss. The silvery crown with tall spires flanking the siren's updo made it all the harder to ignore her.

Kallinaera had told Kahdreg, at length, just what fashion designer and jeweler she was sporting this evening, but he honestly had no mind for it. Even his own suit had been tailored by Kallinaera's own special designer. Which only left Kahdreg feeling as if the siren had a full-body grasp on himself. She did own him, in a way, and that made his skin crawl.

Especially whenever his thoughts focused on the ring box weighing down his pant's pocket.

Faintly at first, and then with a rush, the attention shifted from the orc and siren to a newcomer. Likely one of the actors, bringing a scandalous date to the premiere. Kahdreg's eyes followed the skirmish of reporters to the new attraction, wondering just who stirred the pot.

At first, his eyes could only catch onto the details. A shimmering silver dress with off-the-shoulder puffy sleeve caps that deflated into arm-hugging sleeves. The fabric, when caught by the flashing lights of the cameras, sparked with colors. The hem barely hit her mid-thigh, somehow made all the more scandalous given the woman's thick figure and soft belly and luscious curves. Her makeup was intense with every shade and fake gems dotted around her eyes. Her hair - perhaps a wig - a mass of dark curls, precariously piled atop her head. A choker of teardrop shaped silver gems held the attention of the others, but Kahdreg's eye caught onto something else.

Kahdreg barely registered the rest of the outfit as his eyes landed on a scar on the woman's shoulder. From this distance, it was hard to tell. But... His stomach lurched, eyes sparking back to her face. A familiarity painfully clawed at his insides.

Faintly, he heard one of the reporters question, "Who's your date, Miss Kaegwin?"

Surprise stuttered through Kahdreg, glancing to his usual script supervisor. Elyon was dressed much as he expected. In a plain, though elegant, black dress with a slit up her thigh. Her braids coiled together into a tall bun atop her head. A small silver clutch in her hands, as she nervously smiled at the reporters, unused to the attention.

Before the elven woman could reply to the inquiry, Miss Kaegwin's date answered with a wink, "Name's Bellamy Bluebell. And judging by some of your sudden expressions, some of you are familiar with my work."

"Your work?" Another reporter coughed, possibly feigning curiosity when knowing the answer.

"I'm in entertainment," Bellamy breezily replied, with a smile. She pressed her own index finger to her lips, mocking the universal sign of 'secret' as she brightly added, "Of the camming variety."